Urgent- 40,000 hectares of National Park to be cleared!

    Hi all Thin Green Line Supporters,

You can help save 40,000 hectares of the rare and declared Virachey National Park, Cambodia due for clearance this week.

Please cut and paste the message below in italics and send to the King Of Cambodia and Prime Minister of Cambodia via the Environment Minister at:

cabinet@norodomsihamoni.org

moe-cabinet@camnet.com.kh

Also please forward this message to all of your contacts. This is urgent as logging is due to commence any day now. So Please act now!

Don't forget to put your name in at the bottom too.



To the King and Prime Minister of Cambodia,

I have a deep respect for Cambodia's people, its culture and natural environment.

I have been made aware that some sections of the Cambodian Government have approved for 40,294 hectares of the protected Virachey National Park to be cleared for proposed rubber plantations.

The Park was Declared by the King Of Cambodia in 1993, and further endorsed and declared by ASEAN in 2003.

It is home to many indigenous people who rely on its clean water and healthy ecosystem, as well as numerous significant plant and animal species, including tigers.

It has the potential to be a great eco-tourism destination, and with help will be.

In addition, the forest is now highly valuable as a carbon storage asset to Cambodia under the UN's REDD scheme.

If senior Government members and/or yourself the King of Cambodia, can prevent this illegal clearance, and resource the park and its rangers to protect Virachey NP, I will actively support work to promote Cambodia and its parks as a viable eco-tourist destination.

We hope we can work with the Cambodian government to protect one of its great natural assets and help the Cambodian people with revenue generated from sustainable long-term, eco- and cultural tourism projects.

On the other hand if this environmental destruction goes ahead, it will be a large blight on the face of Cambodia, and I will do all in my power to ensure it is seen far and wide, by my contacts and connections and the international community, who will then consider other destinations for their eco tourism and Environmental Grants funding.

I am sending this email to the UN, IUCN and all the major environmental organisations so they are aware of the impending clearance of a protected area.

I have learnt this clearance is to begin in matter of days, but I understand that not all of the senior Cambodian Government nor you the King Of Cambodia may be aware of this, and I implore those in power to take control of this situation, and prevent the clearance of the Highly Significant Conservation Reserve of Cambodia.

This decision is in your hands your Royal Highness and Mr Prime Minister - I hope it is one that leads to a legacy of strong leadership on environmental and cultural protection and prosperous future for the natural environment and people of Cambodia, and a great eco tourism destination for the rest of the world to admire.

Yours Sincerely



Place your name here



I thank you so much in anticipation of your assistance in this very importnat issue.

Sean Willmore

Director

The Thin Green Line Foundation

sean@thingreenline.info

www.thingreenline.org.au